Altaf directs closure of all MQM election offices,The News International

LONDON/KARACHI: The chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain, on Tuesday, while slamming an attack on the party's election office at the People's Chowrangi, directed the Co-ordination Committee to close all the election offices of the party, for the time being, in view of threats of further attacks.

He questioned how peaceful elections could be held amid continuous terrorist attacks.Drawing the attention of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim towards the continuous killing of MQM workers, Altaf said in a statement that it was the duty of the Election Commission and the caretaker government to maintain peace and order. He regretted that over 25 MQM members and office-bearers, including an election candidate, had fallen victim to the unending wave of terrorism.

"Who would come out on the polling day to cast vote if the present situation continued," Altaf said.He said that every political and religious party should condemn the attack on the election office of the MQM. He said noeffective measures were taken in spite of the clear threats given by terrorists to the MQM, ANP and PPP in order to keep them away from the election process.

He sympathised with the bereaved families of the workers who lost their lives in the attack and asked the people to pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.Meanwhile, the MQM Co-ordination Committee said the party would observe a day of mourning today (Wednesday) in protest against the killing of the party workers and lawlessness in the city.

Condemning the attack on the MQM's office at the People's Chowrangi, the party suspended all its election activities and asked its members to shut down all the election offices due to the security threats.

The MQM asked its members in the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir to organise Quran Khwani and offer Fateha for the slain party activists.The party appealed to transporters, traders and citizens to support its call and show the terrorists the whole city was united against such cowardly acts.